In The Place Where No Shadows Fall
by Suzotchka
Summary: On the 10th anniversary of her death, the remaining members of the Army of Light gather and tell their children the story of the remarkable woman named Susan Ivanova


Summary: On the tenth anniversary of her death, the remaining members of the Army of Light gather and tell their children the story of the remarkable woman named Susan Ivanova  
  
Author's note: Does not fit in my usual Babylon 5 "world". Please review  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, but would make the perfect gift (my birthday is coming up!)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"In the place where no shadows fall"   
  
The memorial ceremony was over. The remaining members of the formal war council walked slowly back to her quarters with few others. Those few were Zack Allen, Lyta Alexander, David Corwin and many children born of unions formed during and after the wars.   
  
Her quarters had never been emptied of her things and, ten years later, remained as she had left them. Every year, a memorial service was held for those who had died during the wars and every year they came from all over the galaxy to where they were now staying to honor and remember those who fell, but no one more than Commander Susan Ivanova, second in command of the Army of Light, and who fell for it.   
  
They sat in silence, the children quiet because of their parents' mourning. Stephen picked up a picture from a table; it was taken just a few months before it had happened. They were all in it, John, Delenn, Stephen, Michael, Lennier, Lyta....Marcus and Susan. Michael smiled sadly as he came up and traced her profile. The children gathered, and finally the youngest, 4 year old Susan Garabaldi, named after the woman her father considered a younger sister, asked, "Who is that?"   
  
The other children, five in all made a circle around them. There was 8-year- old David Sheridan, twins Jeffery and Catherine Allen at six, and seven- year-old Marcus Franklin.   
  
A silence surrounded them before Delenn answered, "That was your aunt Susan." Blank stares greeted her; since her death they had simply stopped speaking about her, and the children knew nothing of her other than what was in the books.   
  
"She was my second in command. She led the assault on Mars when I was captured and won it. But she was injured, fatally, and died a week later on January 3rd, 2262. Ten years ago today."   
  
"What was she like, was she pretty?"   
  
Michael picked up and said, "She was very pretty, brave, loyal, intelligent and wise. She gathered the troops while John forged alliances. She gave us her all. You know, she was once captured and tortured but even then she didn't break."   
  
"Let me tell you a story," said Stephen. "She came on board in 2257, a year before I did...."   
  
Jeffery Sinclair stood with his Security Chief and best friend, Michael Garabaldi. They were waiting for the second in command to come on board, all they knew about her was that her name was Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova.   
  
A young woman approached them, wearing a blue Earth force uniform and command bar, and that was when they realized that she was to be their new second in command   
  
She was a reserved person, one who had seen a lot of pain. She didn't open up voluntarily. But slowly they became friends, and she began to do so. They celebrated birthdays and holidays and got together several nights a week.   
  
A year passed. Stephen Franklin came onboard. She slowly accepted him too. She became more open; they all became more open with one another as the second year drew to a close.   
  
And then Jeff was called away. John and Marcus came with the Great Wars following them.   
  
And that Susan became a warrior. She fought with her squadrands as well as hand to hand. They always saw her working. She would be downbelow for information or with her pilots training them. She would be planning strategy, getting supplies, running CnC. And ignoring the love she felt for the other.   
  
Yes, she fell in love. With the man who fell in love with her. They were sole mates, from the second they met and looked into one another's' eyes.   
  
His name was Marcus Cole. He was a Ranger. He tried to show his love, and never stopped no matter what. But she was afraid, afraid of being hurt again. And so she ignored him.   
  
Three years passed. John was captured. She lead the assault to Free Mars but was hurt in the process. Marcus saved her from the rubble but it was too late. She had only a week to live. In that time, John was freed and led the final assault to free Earth. As soon as the war was won, they sent word to her. The nurse who had been with her said that she had smiled weakly, turned her head heavenward and murmured, "Marcus, I love you" before closing her eyes for the final time that day, January 3, 2262.   
  
Marcus had been so grief struck that he had followed her as soon as he heard, holding her body. He simply died of no known cause but grief.   
  
At this the adults who were crying looked up to see the children who now also sobbed. Delenn finished, "So now they are together in the place where no shadows fall."   
  
  
  
Years passed, and John's twenty years were up. As his family and friends gathered around him, his soul flew to the heavens. There were Susan and Marcus, smiling and young. They held hands as Susan reached toward him and said, "Hello John" as she pulled her lips apart to say this. Their eyes were happy unlike the last time he had seen them. They led him hand in hand to a place of pureness, and John smiled for, as he now knew, it was true. "United in the place where no shadows fall." 


End file.
